Warm-blooded Dinosaurs Worked Up A Sweat

marco_polo

Summation of recent physiological analysis of dinosaur anatomies which adds extra support to the warm blooded dinosaur theories.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110202853.htm

The results of both the simple and complex method were in very close agreement: based on the energy they consumed when moving, many dinosaurs were probably endothermic, athletic animals because their energy requirements during walking and running were too high for cold-blooded animals to produce. Interestingly, when the results for each dinosaur were arranged into an evolutionary family tree, the authors found that endothermy might be the ancestral condition for all dinosaurs. This pushes the evolution of endothermy further back into the ancient past than many researchers expected, suggesting that dinosaurs were athletic, endothermic animals throughout the Mesozoic era. This early adoption of high metabolic rates may be one of the key factors in the massive evolutionary success that dinosaurs enjoyed during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, and continue to enjoy now in feathery, flying form.

Galvasean

Great. Now hopefully we can finally put the warm/cold blooded debate to rest forever.

Galvasean

Schematic diagram to show the mechanical advantage and active muscle volume in the dinosaur hind limb

Image by Pontzer H, Allen V & Hutchinson JR